Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar Wednesday took notice of the alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kashur and sought report from the Punjab police chief within 24 hours.
The development came in wake of protests in different areas of the city killing two and injuring seven on Wednesday against the rape and brutal murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kasur.
Enraged protesters are chanting slogans against the authorities outside the office of DC. The police had locked the gates of the office, but the protesters broke the gates and entered the DC office.
The angry protesters also vandalised public property. Almost three people were injured in the incident. The protesters are demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and want CM Punjab to visit Kasur. They have refused to end protest till then. District Bar and Anjuman Tajran announced strike against the murder of the minor girl, and also protested over the non-arrest of the suspects.
A protestor while speaking to Waqt News reported said, “Kasur has become worse than Burma, if these people want us to leave this country, tell us but don’t do this to our children.”
The funeral prayers of Zainab were offered by Pakistan Awami Tehreek's (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri.
After the prayers Tahirul Qadri while speaking to media he said, "Punjab Government and police has treated the protesters the same way as Model Town victims."
Lahore High Court CJ took suo moto notice of Zainab’s murder in Kasur. He has ordered the police to submit a report immediately.
Zainab's parents were in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah when the incident took place.
After arriving at the Islamabad airport Wednesday, the parents of the minor claimed that police did not cooperate in finding their child.
"If the police would have acted immediately, the culprit would have been caught," said Zainab's father. He also stressed that they would not bury their daughter until her killer is arrested.
According to initial postmortem report, the minor was strangled to death after being raped multiple times.
Earlier today Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and ordered authorities to arrest culprits as soon as possible.
"Arrest the culprit and start the investigation against them," he said.
CM Punjab asked IG Punjab to submit a report over the matter. He assured that the culprits won't be able to escape punishment, he said.
CM Punjab further said that he would personally monitor this case. He expressed grief with the parents of the deceased girl.
CM Punjab has condemned the incident on twitter:
Deeply pained about murder of a 8-year old girl in a child molestation case. Those societies that cannot protect its children are eternally condemned. Not going to rest till the perpetrators of this dastardly act are apprehended & given severest possible punishment under the law
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 10, 2018
Just presided over a meeting of police & administration officials. Made it absolutely clear to them that lip service would not work. I want the culprits involved in this heinous crime behind the bars. Those failing in their duties will be proceeded against. Very painful incident! https://t.co/FFSBbNhtrr
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 10, 2018
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa also directed support to the civil administration to arrest the culprits, his spokesman said in a tweet.
COAS condemns cold blooded murder of innocent Zainab. Responding to appeal by the aggrieved parents to COAS, directs immediate all out support to civil administration to arrest the criminals and bringing them to exemplary justice.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) January 10, 2018
RPO Zulfiqar Hameed:
RPO Sheikhupura Range, Zulfiqar Hameed while speaking to media said it was not justified to term the incident as negligence on the part of the police.
According to forensic report, “the minor was strangled to death after being raped and everyone is grieving over the incident. The family of minor provided the CCTV footage and neighbours also helped in the case.”
RPO also said, 96 samples of DNA were sent for testing.
Social Media reaction on Zainab’s case:
Social media has strongly reacted to Zainab’s murder, which includes tweets from celebrities and politicians. Everyone has condemned the incident and demanded for immediate punishment of the culprits.
#JusticeForZainab she was only 7 years old !!! Zainab was an innocent child and she was horrifically tortured & murdered, my heart breaks for her family.
— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) January 10, 2018
May Allah give them strength #UniteAgainstChildAbuse
Zainab we are sorry #JusticeForZainab
— Waseem Badami (@WaseemBadami) January 10, 2018
I refuse to believe this can be true and this can happen in our Pakistan but the reality is different. Ya Allah give sabr to the parents. As a father just hearing about this has made me feel sick. What is happening? How can we stop this from ever happening again?#JusticeForZainab pic.twitter.com/TNVyh3RrIx
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) January 10, 2018
Can't stop my tears_ heard her parents r on Umrah, may Allah gv them strength 2 deal with this pain. When media/politicians busy in Baloch politics, IK marriage, Chakwal Election, anti Govt movement this little angel got raped n murdered in Qasur. #JusticeForZainab pic.twitter.com/0vcaYUA1ki
— Nadia Mirza (@nadia_a_mirza) January 10, 2018
This will not stop till we don’t make examples out of these evil butchers! #JusticeForZainab
— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) January 10, 2018
Really disgusting & I’m speechless, have no words to condemn Zainab’s assault and brutal killing. Enough is enough, we need immediate justice in this case. Her killing is another question mark on our morality and society #JusticeForZainab pic.twitter.com/s4DbJ2RmMM
— Hina Butt (@hinaparvezbutt) January 10, 2018
It hurts me even to look at or tweet the picture of 8 year old Zainab who was raped and killed. Culprit must be found & punished.#JusticeForZainab
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) January 10, 2018
I also urge parents & teachers to educate children & embolden them to report & resist predatory sexual advances
Enough of 'condemnations'!! Zainabs, Tayabbas, & Seemas deserve to be protected while they are alive! #Kasur #JusticeForZainab #Children #Pakistan #Rape pic.twitter.com/CwULQsj7QK
— Samar MinAllah Khan (@SamarMinallahKh) January 10, 2018
Again this is #Qasoor where 9 years old girl is kidnapped n killed, big question on good governance of punjab #JusticeForZainab pic.twitter.com/mKq12XTAXE
— Asma Shirazi (@asmashirazi) January 10, 2018
In a press confrence Former President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf's representative Shireen Mazari have strongly condemned the incident and demanded for the arrest of the culprit.
On Tuesday a minor girl was found murdered after rape from Shehbaz Khan Road in Ghandra area of Kasur, five days after she had gone missing under mysterious circumstances.
Passersby spotted the dead body of a minor girl, later identified as seven-year-old Zainab, daughter of Muhammad Ameen Ansari, resident of Shehbaz Khan Road Kot. On information, the police rushed to spot and shifted the dead body to DHQ Hospital Kasur for autopsy.
According to hospital sources, the autopsy confirmed that the minor girl was raped and then strangulated to death.
Zainab had gone missing under mysterious circumstances on her way back home from a local seminary some five days ago. In the absence of her parents who have gone Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah, the family searched her everywhere but found no clue about the minor . Upon which they informed the police, which launched investigation but failed to make any headway in the search for the minor.
According to reports in the last one year 12 children have been raped and murdered in Kasur. As per the investigation report, method of killing in most the cases are same.
